There are known in the prior art merchandising machines of the helical feed type adapted to deliver articles in response to rotary movement of one or more helices between the turns of which articles to be dispensed are disposed. Most machines of this type are intended to deliver merchandise in bags such, for example, as bags of chips and the like. It is desirable that such a machine also have the capability of delivering other articles such, for example, as packets of gum or mints or the like. Some attempts have been made in the prior art to adapt the bagged merchandise delivery units to dispense articles such as packets of gum and mints. Adaptation of such a unit to the delivery of articles of the latter type in the prior art involves a number of drawbacks. First, and most important, the amount of space occupied by the unit is excessively large for the capacity thereof. In addition, machines of the prior art generally involve relatively complicated mechanism for selectively operating the units of the machine.
We have invented a delivery unit for a helical feed merchandising machine which unit is especially adapted to deliver articles such as packets of gum or mints or the like. Our unit has a large capacity relative to the space occupied in the machine. It is certain in operation. It is simple in construction.